Qatar - Decypha: Qatar's Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) is to implement the GCC Guide on control of imported food items starting April; in addition, application of the guide will be mandatory from October 2017, official sources to Qatar Tribune.
Regulation will classify food items according to their potential to transmit food borne diseases, and will include commodities such as meat, meat products, dairy products, seafood, eggs, processed food, assorted food products, and honey and bee products.
“The guide includes the most important technical principles for imported food control, before releasing them for consumption in the domestic market. The guide is scheduled to be implemented uniformly in all the GCC countries,” said Wassan Abdullah Al Baker, Director of Food Safety and Environmental Health Department, at the MoPH, according to the Peninusla Qatar.
The GCC international standards will be applied to imported food items, such as food items must meet religious guidelines (Halal) and must have a certificate for import.
Food products must be declared at customs, have a commercial registration, and have a certificate of Halal slaughter otherwise food items may be confiscated.
Following the GCC Food Safety Committee meeting held in Riyadh in March and its findings, new regulations will be implemented.
By Decypha News Editorial Team
